For several years our Lifeline Advance Topcoats have been an integral part of our exterior finish systems. In addition to prolonging the life of the finish system, Advance Topcoats help keep the exterior surfaces free of dust and dirt and make them easier to clean. That's because Advance is designed specifically as a topcoat. Unlike most topcoats on the market, Advance is not just a non-pigmented version of our Lifeline stain. This allows us to formulate our stains for maximum color retention and adhesion when applied to bare wood and use an entirely different formulation to meet the performance criteria important in a clear topcoat.

The same concept applies to our Lifeline Interior finishes as well. Acrylic Gloss and Satin (G/S) and Sure Shine Gloss and Satin (G/S) are totally different formulations than Lifeline Interior. Lifeline Interior, Lifeline Accents and Prelude contain a polymer system that offer some distinct adhesion advantages when applied to bare wood, however, when left exposed without a topcoat, they are more susceptible to dirt pick-up that may not be easily cleaned off. When topcoated with Acrylic G/S or Sure Shine G/S, the finish surfaces become much more impervious to dirt pick-up and since the coating surfaces are slick and smooth they can be kept clean with much less effort. The bottom line is that Lifeline Interior, Lifeline Accents or Prelude are highly recommended to be topcoated with either Acrylic G/S or Sure Shine G/S.

Whenever a house is over one or two years old or you are sure your logs are dry, be sure to obtain samples of both Sure Shine G/S and Acrylic G/S to try. If Acrylic G/S does not result in the smooth, slick surface that you may be expecting, try Sure Shine G/S. Sure Shine G/S is a water-based acrylic-urethane that builds depth and luster with fewer coats. However, polyurethane films are less breathable so we do not recommend their use on logs that have not fully seasoned. One or two coats of Sure Shine G/S can always be applied over the Acrylic G/S later if you want a smoother, deeper finish on your interior walls.

What if you don't want a pigmented stain on your interior wood? Do you need to apply Prelude or Lifeline Interior Clear before applying Sure Shine G/S or Acrylic G/S? From a technical and performance standpoint it does not matter, although Prelude does include an additive called UV Boost that will help prevent the picture frame effect that occurs over time. Although UV Boost can be added to Interior Clear, Acrylic G/S and Sure Shine G/S, most people prefer not to spend more money than they need to and using Prelude as a primer on bare interior wood will significantly decrease the amount of more expensive Acrylic G/S or Sure Shine G/S you will require.

Perma-Chink Systems Family of Interior Stains and Finishes